The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-04-21
SENATOR COKE.
L etter Of the Distinguished Ex'
Governor on the Prohibi-
ton Issue.

WACO, Tex, April 15.-Gentlemen:-
Yours of April has been received. 1t in
forms me that at meeting in Austin of
prominent democrats from all parts OF
| the state state convention, to meet i'll
Dallas on the first Wednesday in May, was
called, end that the objects for which said
convention was called, are twO-fOld, to-
w.t.
First-To set forth clearly and unequiv-
Ocally the time-hOnOred and cardinal prin-
ciples of the democratic party from JEFF
ferson, its founder, down to the present
time; viz: opposition to all forms of
sumptuary legislation.
Second-To set on foot a well organ
lied and vigorous campaign against the
proposed prohibition amendment to the
constitution,
am honOred by this letter with an in
vitation to attend and address the con-
vention While am in full and cordial
pathy with the declared purpose of
the proposed convention, TO "set on foot
well organized and vigorous campaign
against the proposed prohibition amend
ment to the constitutions" firmly and
conscientiously believing as | do, and
have recently stated in an open letter to
the Dallas Herald, that the best interests
! of the state, of society, of social order,
and of true temperance reform demand
that said amendment be voted down at
the polls in August next, it is with ex-
| tn me regret that | am compelled to say
that 1 cannot agree with you as to the
expediency of involving the democratic
party in the controversy. The time has
passed when, in my Judgment, this is pos
sible without party disruption. Two years
ago, when the public mind was receiving
its first impressions on the prohibition
question; when it was an open question
in the politics of the state; when it was
publicly avowed and universally known to
all men that the local option elections
then being held in some forty of the rich
est and most densely populated counties
in the state, extending across the country
from the Red river to and beyond the Col
orado, were only the skirmishes preceding
the grand battle now to be fought over the
prohibition amendments; that these cleo
tiOns were part and parcel of the pres
ent prohibition campaign; that coun-
ty local option and state prohibition
were held and treated in the discus
sions of the canvass and accepted by the
public, as in my Judgment they are, as
one and the same-identical both as to
principle and expediency; many demo-
Gratis, myself among the number, exerted
themselves to the utmost to arouse the
democratic people of Texas and align
the democratic party in battle array
against the heresy of prohibition pre-
paratory to the impending canvass.
With these things fresh in the public
mind the duly accredited representatives
of the democracy of Texas, direct from
the people, met in convention in August
last, at Galveston, aud without dissent
ing voice adopted platform which, in
the twelfth plank, declares this question
outside or utterly unconnected
with and irrelevant to party
politics. Not a voice was raised nor
vote cast against this conclusion. This
solemn Judgment of the highest tribunal
known to the democracy of Texas stands
to-day unreserved aud unappealed from.
Those of us who tried our utmost to put
the democratic party in line against pro-
hibition failed utterly and signally to do
il, and were cOntinently sat down on by
the convention. Thousands of good and
true democrats throughout the state, under
WIS NNNA9AOAA VI llOll lAlh hNoO BuA"J NitDN
ma, have chosen to fall into line under the
prohibition banner, while thousands of
others, equally honest and true, who pre-
viously declared for prohibition, but who
would have followed their party color5
under different decision, have been con-
firmed in their opinions and became more
determined in their action.
The only possible effect of party con
test under these conditions will be dis
ruption, breaking in half of the demo
f cratic Party-a division of it into two
warning factions each ready for fusion or
allegiance with any other party to over
come the other. Fora united party there
is always hope that its errors will be re-
versed and corrected, while with one
broken and disrupted no hope is left.
The golden moment for putting the
democratic party in line against prohibi.
tion passed at Galveston in August last
when the democratic convention was in
5 session. 1t is too late now. As a demo
cat who believes in party organization
and party discipline as the only means OF
carrying out great political principles
and who knows ny experience
that these results can be attained
only by a subordination of individ
ual opinion to the expressed will of the
whole, and whose conscientious convlc